How Many Beers Come in a Keg?

Buying a keg of beer is great for a party and much more economical than buying beers in bottles or cans. We all know that a keg holds a lot of beer, but exactly how much? The answer varies depending on where you live.

Video of the Day

What Is a Keg?

A keg is a cylindrical container similar to a barrel usually made of aluminum. Keg sizes are not standardized and can vary between countries and breweries.

U.S. Full Kegs

In the United States a full keg is also referred to as a half-barrel. A full keg contains 15.5 U.S. gallons of beer, the equivalent of 165 twelve ounce beers or 124 U.S. pints.

Other U.S. Keg Sizes

In addition to the full keg, you can also find smaller variations such as pony kegs and mini kegs. A pony keg contains 7.75 U.S. gallons or 82 twelve ounce beers. A mini keg, which is much smaller, contains 1.32 U.S. gallons or 14 twelve ounce beers.

European Keg Sizes

A European keg is typically 50 liters or 13.21 U.S. gallons which is the equivalent of 100 half liter servings. In Germany there are also 30 and 20 liter kegs.

Fun Fact

A U.S. full keg weighs about 160 pounds. So be careful before you try to lift it by yourself!